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Selling the New Social Security

Paul Krugman's column about the improbability of high returns from stock market investments over the next 75 years ("Many Unhappy Returns," Feb. 1) inspires a question. If older people who have invested their money in the market don't do well, what will society look like?

Do advocates of privatization have a backup plan for the worst-case or not-so-great-case scenarios? If not, where will our destitute older people live? How will they eat? What if they become ill?

I can see two answers: some will have to live with their children, and the rest will end up on the street. I hope the privatizers have lots of room in their homes, because if they get their way, Grandma's coming to live with them.